Assam CM distributes 296 government jobs to tea tribes, Adivasi candidates

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on January 12 distributed appointment letters to 296 candidates from the Tea Tribes and Adivasi communities, marking another round of recruitment under the state’s reserved quota policy.

The appointments were made through the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination for various government departments. Of the total selected candidates, 130 were appointed to Grade-IV posts, while 166 secured Grade-III positions.

With this round of recruitment, the number of government jobs provided during the tenure of the BJP-led government has reached 1,56,679 over the past five years, officials said.

The state government has been carrying out phased appointments for candidates from the Tea Tribes and Adivasi communities. Teachers were appointed on November 12, followed by recruitment to posts under the Assam Police and other wings of the Home Department on December 8. Appointments to technical and non-technical posts in the Health Department were made on December 24.

Addressing the gathering, Sarma said Assam had set a precedent by implementing a common recruitment examination to fill vacancies across multiple departments. He said the process, from conducting examinations to issuing appointment letters, was completed with “full transparency” despite logistical and legal challenges.

Referring to measures taken for the tea community ahead of the assembly elections, the chief minister said the government introduced a 3 per cent reservation for eligible youth from the Tea Tribes and Adivasi communities in all Grade-III and Grade-IV posts last year, marking 200 years of their contribution to the tea industry.

“Nearly 1,000 candidates from these communities have been appointed so far this year under the 3 per cent quota,” Sarma said, adding that such appointments would not have been possible without the reservation policy and could bring “far-reaching social change”.

The chief minister also announced that the reservation would be extended to Grade-I and Grade-II posts, opening pathways for candidates to serve in senior roles such as magistrates, police officers and college and university professors.

Highlighting welfare initiatives, Sarma said 30 MBBS seats were already reserved for tea tribe students in Assam’s medical colleges, with 14 additional seats added recently. He also said 44 hostels were under construction across the state for Tea Tribe and Adivasi students, alongside financial support through the Shahid Dayal Das Panika Self-Employment Scheme.

He referred to the recent decision of the Assam Legislative Assembly to grant land rights to residents of tea garden “lines”.

Urging the newly appointed candidates to take pride in their identity, Sarma called on them to serve tea garden areas with dedication and sensitivity. He asked them to uphold high standards of public service, particularly for the poor and vulnerable sections of society.